Ogden Chemistry
Name ___________________________
Energy Bar Competition
Biochemistry Unit Final Project
Due Date: Friday, 5/18/12
Introduction
As the American lifestyle has grown busier, Americans have had less time at home to prepare food. As a result, more
people want to buy products from the store that they can take with them and eat as they go back and forth to school, work,
home, etc. Energy bars, such as PowerBars, Cliff bars, Luna bars, NutriGrain bars, and granola bars, have exploded in variety to
meet the demands of different kinds of people.
The purpose of this project is to demonstrate what you have learned about energy and nutrients by designing a
custom-made energy bar. You will have to research potential ingredients, develop a recipe, and test your bar through scientific
processes until you develop an appropriately healthy and tasty snack.
Part 1: create an energy bar recipe
Part 2: calorie content
Part 3: prepare your bar
Part 4: design packaging to advertise your bar
Part 5: presentation and select laboratory testing
Part 1: Energy Bar Recipe
Your first task is to examine your client information. You must make note of the important information given regarding
your client’s energy needs, his/her diet, and personal preferences. Consider your group to be a business – and a business must
follow the wishes of its customers! (If you have further questions or need clarifications about your client, please submit them to
Mr. Allmen.)
Then, brainstorm possible ingredients you could use in your product. Ingredients may NOT be prepackaged (for
example: if you want it to taste like a S’more, you can add chocolate and marshmallow; you may NOT use a S’more Poptart!).
The final decision for what should go into your bar is an important process that your group needs to put a lot of thought
into. Not all energy sources are created equal: remember that carbohydrates, protein, and lipids contain different amounts of
energy and will be used in different ways by the body. Your goal is to select the appropriate nutrients to provide for your client’s
needs. You must now work to create a recipe for an energy bar that takes all of the following factors into account:
a. Does it provide the appropriate nutrients?
b. Does it include anything extra that my client does not want or need?
c. Does one serving provide an appropriate number of Calories?
d. Does it taste good?
When choosing ingredients, use websites such as http://www.nutritiondata.com/ to provide you with the nutrition
information of your ingredients.
Final product:
1) List the ingredients for your recipe, including the relative amounts measured in volume or mass.
2) Give a justification for EACH ingredient - WHY it is included?
Part 2: Calorie Content
Your energy bar should contain an appropriate number of Calories for your client. Use your recipe and the nutrition
data printed for your ingredients to determine the information required by the Final Product, listed below.
Final product:
1) Determine the serving size of your bar (in weight or volume).
2) Show the total amount of Calories present in one serving of your bar. Show your work.
3) Determine what percentage of your bar’s Calories come from carbohydrates, proteins, or lipids. Show your work.
Part 3: Prepare your bar
Use the recipe you made to make samples of your energy bar. You need to make enough for at least 6 people to
sample. (You must show the true serving size of your bar, but it is ok to give smaller sample sizes.) Your peers will then sample
the bar and evaluate it based on its appearance, smell, texture, and taste.
Final Product:
1) One full serving size, with a package, for Mr. Allmen to sample and grade. (see Part 4 for details on packaging)
2) At least 6 sample sizes of your custom-make energy bar.
Part 4: Design your Packaging
Once you have designed your bar, you should then make packaging that will help to advertise it to a larger market.
Your goal is to convince other potential clients that your bar is a superior product when compared with other bars already on
the market. Your packaging will be graded on originality, persuasiveness, and attractiveness. It should include:
a.
b.
c.
Your product’s name
A slogan or catch phrase
Nutrition label – at minimum, must include information about number of Calories, carbohydrates, lipids, and protein;
other information can be provided for extra credit
Make sure that your advertising is appropriate to the people you think should buy your product. If your bar would be good for a
runner, then design your advertising to appeal to that audience.
Final Product: One “prototype” of your bar’s packaging. See a, b, and c above for what this packaging must include.
Part 5: Presentation
Groups will present their product to their class. During your presentation, assume that the rest of the class is a group of
people interested in buying your bar. “Sell” them on why your bar is the best by explaining its contents, nutritional value, and
taste. Then, some of your peers will be selected to act as a “tasting panel” to judge your product.
Final Product: A 3-minute presentation that introduces your bar to the class.
Energy Bar Rubric:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
List of ingredients for your recipe [5]
- specific measurement given (mass or volume) [5]
- Justification for each ingredient [5]
- Ingredients follow the needs of the client [10]
Calculations of Calories Content
- reasonable serving size [5]
- Calorie calculations, with work shown [5]
Calculations of
- percent carbohydrate, with work shown [5]
- percent protein, with work shown [5]
- percent lipid, with work shown [5]
Samples of energy bar
- Taste test: peer assessment [10]
- Taste test: teacher assessment [10]
Packaging
- Nutrition information present [5]
- Attractiveness [5]
- Originality of slogan and design [5]
/ 25
/ 25
/ 20
/ 15
Presentation
- Accuracy of claims [5]
- Persuasiveness [5]
- Use of visual aids [5]
/ 15
Total score
/ 100
Your Name:
Biochemistry Energy Bar Project
Bar name:
After tasting, please rate the bar based on the
following categories:
5 – excellent; I couldn’t have done it better myself!
4 – good; there is some room for improvement but I like it
3 – average; not bad, but not good either
2 – poor; I think my dog would like it, but I do not
1 – terrible; I think I might vomit!
1) Appearance
1
2
3
4
5
2) Smell
1
2
3
4
5
3) Texture
1
2
3
4
5
4) Taste
1
2
3
4
5
Would you eat this again, if given the choice?
Your Name:
Yes
No
Biochemistry Energy Bar Project
Bar name:
After tasting, please rate the bar based on the
following categories:
5 – excellent; I couldn’t have done it better myself!
4 – good; there is some room for improvement but I like it
3 – average; not bad, but not good either
2 – poor; I think my dog would like it, but I do not
1 – terrible; I think I might vomit!
1) Appearance
1
2
3
4
5
2) Smell
1
2
3
4
5
3) Texture
1
2
3
4
5
4) Taste
1
2
3
4
5
Would you eat this again, if given the choice?
Your Name:
Yes
No
Biochemistry Energy Bar Project
Bar name:
After tasting, please rate the bar based on the
following categories:
5 – excellent; I couldn’t have done it better myself!
4 – good; there is some room for improvement but I like it
3 – average; not bad, but not good either
2 – poor; I think my dog would like it, but I do not
1 – terrible; I think I might vomit!
1) Appearance
1
2
3
4
5
2) Smell
1
2
3
4
5
3) Texture
1
2
3
4
5
4) Taste
1
2
3
4
5
Would you eat this again, if given the choice?
Yes
No
Client 1: Muscle Man
Your client is a 19 year old college athlete. He is training during his sport’s offseason, working to
gain muscle mass so he can become stronger. He goes to the gym in the afternoon between classes, and is
often hungry before dinner. He needs an energy bar that he can use after his workouts, as he walks to
class.
Client 2: Middle-aged Dieter
Your client is a 45 year old business woman. She has recently resolved to go on a diet so that she
can lose weight. While she is at work, she used to order fast food and eat with her coworkers; she wants
an energy bar to eat instead, that will make her feel full without giving her too many Calories.
Client 3: Sleepy Student
Your client is a 15 year old high school student. She often sleeps in too late to make breakfast
before leaving for school. She wants an energy bar that will help keep her alert through the morning as
she sits through classes.
Client 4: Parched Postman
Your client is a 35 year old postal worker. As he walks from house to house delivering mail, he used
to eat a granola bar as a snack. However, in the hot summer months, the dry granola bar made his mouth
too dry. He wants a new snack to take on his route that will be more moist.
Client 5: Marathoner
Your client is a 25 year old woman training for the Chicago marathon. She does not like Powerbars,
because they contain too much protein. She simply wants an energy bar that contains primarily the
carbohydrates that will help her to recoup energy quickly after a long training run.
Client 6: Senior Saver
Your client is a 70 year old man who lives primarily on money from Social Security. Being an older
person, he does not need as much energy as younger people, because he is sedentary for most of the day.
He wants an energy bar that he can eat in the morning, and he wants it to contain inexpensive ingredients
so he can make it for himself.
Client 7: Hungry Hiker
Your client is a 25 year old man who loves to hike on rugged mountain trails. He carries everything
he needs with him on his back as he moves from camp to camp, so he wants an energy bar that packs a lot
of energy in it without weighing too much.
Chemistry
Period:
Energy Bar Project
Group Members:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Bar Name:
List of ingredients for your recipe [5]
- specific measurement given (mass or volume) [5]
- Justification for each ingredient [5]
/ 25
- Ingredients follow the needs of the client [10]
Calculations of Calories Content [10]
Calculations of
- percent carbohydrate [5]
- percent protein [5]
- percent lipid [5]
Samples of energy bar
- Test test: student panel assessment [10]
- Taste test: teacher assessment [10]
Packaging
- Nutrition information present [5]
- Attractiveness [5]
- Originality of design [5]
/ 25
/ 20
/ 15
Part 5
Presentation [10]
- Accuracy of claims
- Persuasiveness
Lab test [5]
- Appropriate result
Other notes
/ 15
Total score
/ 100